Canada, Mexico hit back against US tariffs, announce retaliatory measures

Canada and Mexico have announced retaliatory measures against tariffs imposed earlier on their goods by US President Donald Trump.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday Canada would impose 25 percent tariffs on $106.5 billion of US goods in response to US tariffs.

$20 billion would take effect from Tuesday and $86 billion in 21 days, Trudeau told a news conference.

Trudeau warned the tariffs would hurt the United States, a long-time ally.

He encouraged Canadians to buy Canadian products and vacation at home rather than in the US.

He said some non-tariff measures, including some relating to critical minerals, energy procurement and other partnerships, are being looked at.

Trudeau also added that both Canada and Mexico are working together to face the tariffs imposed on their goods by Washington.

Trump earlier signed an executive order imposing 25 percent tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico starting on Tuesday except Canadian energy products, which will be subject to a 10 percent duty.

Mexico's 'Plan B'

On the other hand, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said she ordered her economy minister to implement tariff and non-tariff measures to defend her country's interests.

Sheinbaum said on Saturday she had told her economy minister "to implement Plan B that we have been working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defence of Mexico's interests."

She also hit back at Washington's accusation that her government has an "intolerable alliance" with drug trafficking groups.

"We categorically reject the slander made by the White House against the Mexican government about alliances with criminal organisations," Sheinbaum wrote on social media platform X.

"If there is such an alliance anywhere, it is in the US gun shops that sell high-powered weapons to these criminal groups," she added.

"If the United States government and its agencies wanted to address the serious consumption of fentanyl in their country, they can combat the sale of narcotics on the streets of their main cities, which they don't do, and the money laundering generated by this illegal activity that has done so much harm to their population," Sheinbaum added.

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Source: TRT